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3232Cocaine Addiction Symptoms and Effectshttp://beachcitydrugrehab.com/2016/07/15/cocaine-addiction-symptoms-and-effects/
Fri, 15 Jul 2016 18:46:12 +0000http://beachcitydrugrehab.com/?p=257Cocaine Addiction Symptoms and Effects
Contents
• What are the Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse?
• What are the Effects of Cocaine Dependency?
• How Does Cocaine Abuse Change the User’s Brain?
What are the Signs and Symptoms of Cocaine Abuse?
Cocaine is a powerful and addictive drug, classified by the federal government as a high abuse, high dependency risk stimulant. Signs and symptoms of cocaine abuse vary based on the method of ingestion.
The powdered form of cocaine can be inhaled through the nose (snorted) or dissolved in water and then injected directly into a vein. It can also be injected just under the skin (known as “skin popping”), which increases the duration of the high and can also lead to infection or other medical complications. Common signs of snorting cocaine, the most popular method of ingestion, include:
• loss of the sense of smell
• nosebleeds
• difficulty swallowing
• hoarseness
• a chronically runny nose
A form of cocaine with the street name crack is processed into a rock crystal and then smoked, most often using a pipe. Given the lower purity level and wider potential for introduction of other dangerous chemicals, long-term crack cocaine users may experience even more dramatic symptoms.
Cocaine addiction may also produce noticeable behavioral or personality changes, which are often signs of increases in the amount or frequency of use:
• irritability
• restlessness
• anxiety
• paranoia
What are the Effects of Cocaine Dependency?
Those who suffer from cocaine abuse and addiction can experience a condition known as severe paranoia, which is a temporary state of extreme paranoid psychosis. In this state they lose touch with reality and experience auditory hallucinations (hearing sounds that are not real). Ingesting cocaine by mouth can cause ulcers in the stomach lining and the death of a large amount of tissue (gangrene) in the bowel as a result of reduced blood flow.
Regardless of the manner or frequency of use, cocaine abusers can experience heart attacks or strokes. Quite often cocaine-related deaths are a result of heart attack or seizure followed by respiratory arrest during which the user stops breathing.
Common serious health problems resulting from cocaine dependency include:
• heart problems, including heart attacks
• respiratory effects, including respiratory failure
• nervous system problems, including strokes
• digestive problems
• contracting HIV and other diseases (by Injecting cocaine using shared needles)
• serious skin infections
• severe allergic reactions
• death
How Does Cocaine Abuse Change the User’s Brain?
Like other forms of drug addiction, cocaine dependence results from the effect the drug has on the brain that results in feelings of intense pleasure. Cocaine works as a stimulant drug by increasing the levels of the brain chemicals, especially dopamine. Under ordinary circumstances, lower amounts of dopamine are produced in response to the pleasurable activities we all experience as a natural part of our everyday lives.
Cocaine produces its euphoric effect in two ways:
• Artificially increasing the release of dopamine
• Preventing the normal re-absorption of dopamine back into the brain’s nerve cells
In all cases of habitual cocaine abuse and addiction the body builds a tolerance to the increased levels of dopamine, and progressively larger amounts of cocaine are required by the user to achieve the sensation of being high.
Commonly, cocaine abusers experience long-term changes in the brain’s reward system and in other brain systems. This can result in unusual or unpredictable behavior toward those around them. Many cocaine abusers become frustrated when their increased tolerance results in a failure to achieve the high they did from their initial exposures. They often then increase their dosage in an attempt to intensify and prolong the effect; this heightens the risk of adverse physiological or psychological effects, as well as the risk of a potentially deadly overdose. Also, using cocaine with alcohol increases the likelihood that the user will become a victim of a drug-related death.
Cocaine abuse and addiction are serious medical diseases that are extremely difficult to address. Orange County Intervention, is partnered with the leading rehab and recovery facilities for women and adolescent girls suffering with cocaine dependency as well as other addictions, eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia) and co-occurring disorders.
Immediate help line 714-725-1101
]]>Alcoholism and Alcohol Abusehttp://beachcitydrugrehab.com/2016/07/15/alcoholism-and-alcohol-abuse/
Fri, 15 Jul 2016 18:44:11 +0000http://beachcitydrugrehab.com/?p=255Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Drinking Problems

It’s not always easy to see when your drinking has crossed the line from moderate or social use to problem drinking. But if you consume alcohol to cope with difficulties or to avoid feeling bad, you’re in potentially dangerous territory. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can sneak up on you, so it’s important to be aware of the warning signs and take steps to cut back if you recognize them. Understanding the problem is the first step to overcoming it.
Understanding alcoholism and alcohol abuse
Alcoholism and alcohol abuse are due to many interconnected factors, including genetics, how you were raised, your social environment, and your emotional health. Some racial groups, such as American Indians and Native Alaskans, are more at risk than others of developing alcohol addiction. People who have a family history of alcoholism or who associate closely with heavy drinkers are more likely to develop drinking problems. Finally, those who suffer from a mental health problem such as anxiety, depression, or bipolar disorder are also particularly at risk, because alcohol may be used to self-medicate.
Do you have a drinking problem?
You may have a drinking problem if you…
• Feel guilty or ashamed about your drinking.
• Lie to others or hide your drinking habits.
• Have friends or family members who are worried about your drinking.
• Need to drink in order to relax or feel better.
• “Black out” or forget what you did while you were drinking.
• Regularly drink more than you intended to.
Since drinking is so common in many cultures and the effects vary so widely from person to person, it’s not always easy to figure out where the line is between social drinking and problem drinking. The bottom line is how alcohol affects you. If your drinking is causing problems in your life, you have a drinking problem.
Signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse
Substance abuse experts make a distinction between alcohol abuse and alcoholism (also called alcohol dependence). Unlike alcoholics, alcohol abusers have some ability to set limits on their drinking. However, their alcohol use is still self-destructive and dangerous to themselves or others.
Common signs and symptoms of alcohol abuse include:
• Repeatedly neglecting your responsibilities at home, work, or school because of your drinking. For example, performing poorly at work, flunking classes, neglecting your kids, or skipping out on commitments because you’re hung over.
• Using alcohol in situations where it’s physically dangerous, such as drinking and driving, operating machinery while intoxicated, or mixing alcohol with prescription medication against doctor’s orders.
• Experiencing repeated legal problems on account of your drinking. For example, getting arrested for driving under the influence or for drunk and disorderly conduct.
• Continuing to drink even though your alcohol use is causing problems in your relationships. Getting drunk with your buddies, for example, even though you know your wife will be very upset, or fighting with your family because they dislike how you act when you drink.
• Drinking as a way to relax or de-stress. Many drinking problems start when people use alcohol to self-soothe and relieve stress. Getting drunk after every stressful day, for example, or reaching for a bottle every time you have an argument with your spouse or boss.
The path from alcohol abuse to alcoholism
Not all alcohol abusers become full-blown alcoholics, but it is a big risk factor. Sometimes alcoholism develops suddenly in response to a stressful change, such as a breakup, retirement, or another loss. Other times, it gradually creeps up on you as your tolerance to alcohol increases. If you’re a binge drinker or you drink every day, the risks of developing alcoholism are greater.
Signs and symptoms of alcoholism (alcohol dependence)
Alcoholism is the most severe form of problem drinking. Alcoholism involves all the symptoms of alcohol abuse, but it also involves another element: physical dependence on alcohol. If you rely on alcohol to function or feel physically compelled to drink, you’re an alcoholic.
Tolerance: The 1st major warning sign of alcoholism
Do you have to drink a lot more than you used to in order to get buzzed or to feel relaxed? Can you drink more than other people without getting drunk? These are signs of tolerance, which can be an early warning sign of alcoholism. Tolerance means that, over time, you need more and more alcohol to feel the same effects.
Withdrawal: The 2nd major warning sign of alcoholism
Do you need a drink to steady the shakes in the morning? Drinking to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms is a sign of alcoholism and a huge red flag. When you drink heavily, your body gets used to the alcohol and experiences withdrawal symptoms if it’s taken away. These include:
• Anxiety or jumpiness
• Shakiness or trembling
• Sweating
• Nausea and vomiting
• Insomnia • Depression
• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Headache
In severe cases, withdrawal from alcohol can also involve hallucinations, confusion, seizures, fever, and agitation. These symptoms can be dangerous, so talk to your doctor if you are a heavy drinker and want to quit.
Other signs and symptoms of alcoholism (alcohol dependence)
• You’ve lost control over your drinking. You often drink more alcohol than you wanted to, for longer than you intended, or despite telling yourself you wouldn’t.
• You want to quit drinking, but you can’t. You have a persistent desire to cut down or stop your alcohol use, but your efforts to quit have been unsuccessful.
• You have given up other activities because of alcohol. You’re spending less time on activities that used to be important to you (hanging out with family and friends, going to the gym, pursuing your hobbies) because of your alcohol use.
• Alcohol takes up a great deal of your energy and focus. You spend a lot of time drinking, thinking about it, or recovering from its effects. You have few if any interests or social involvements that don’t revolve around drinking.
• You drink even though you know it’s causing problems. For example, you recognize that your alcohol use is damaging your marriage, making your depression worse, or causing health problems, but you continue to drink anyway.
Drinking problems and denial
Denial is one of the biggest obstacles to getting help for alcohol abuse and alcoholism. The desire to drink is so strong that the mind finds many ways to rationalize drinking, even when the consequences are obvious. By keeping you from looking honestly at your behavior and its negative effects, denial also exacerbates alcohol-related problems with work, finances, and relationships.
If you have a drinking problem, you may deny it by:
• Drastically underestimating how much you drink
• Downplaying the negative consequences of your drinking
• Complaining that family and friends are exaggerating the problem
• Blaming your drinking or drinking-related problems on others
For example, you may blame an ‘unfair boss’ for trouble at work or a ‘nagging wife’ for your marital issues, rather than look at how your drinking is contributing to the problem. While work, relationship, and financial stresses happen to everyone, an overall pattern of deterioration and blaming others may be a sign of trouble.
If you find yourself rationalizing your drinking habits, lying about them, or refusing to discuss the subject, take a moment to consider why you’re so defensive. If you truly believe you don’t have a problem, there should be no reason for you to cover up your drinking or make excuses.
Five myths about alcoholism and alcohol abuse
Myth #1: I can stop drinking anytime I want to.
Maybe you can; more likely, you can’t. Either way, it’s just an excuse to keep drinking. The truth is, you don’t want to stop. Telling yourself you can quit makes you feel in control, despite all evidence to the contrary and no matter the damage it’s doing.
Myth #2: My drinking is my problem. I’m the one it hurts, so no one has the right to tell me to stop.
It’s true that the decision to quit drinking is up to you. But you are deceiving yourself if you think that your drinking hurts no one else but you. Alcoholism affects everyone around you—especially the people closest to you. Your problem is their problem.
Myth #3: I don’t drink every day, so I can’t be an alcoholic OR I only drink wine or beer, so I can’t be an alcoholic.
Alcoholism is NOT defined by what you drink, when you drink it, or even how much you drink. It’s the EFFECTS of your drinking that define a problem. If your drinking is causing problems in your home or work life, you have a drinking problem—whether you drink daily or only on the weekends, down shots of tequila or stick to wine, drink three bottles of beers a day or three bottles of whiskey.
Myth #4: I’m not an alcoholic because I have a job and I’m doing okay.
You don’t have to be homeless and drinking out of a brown paper bag to be an alcoholic. Many alcoholics are able to hold down jobs, get through school, and provide for their families. Some are even able to excel. But just because you’re a high-functioning alcoholic doesn’t mean you’re not putting yourself or others in danger. Over time, the effects will catch up with you.
Myth #5: Drinking is not a “real” addiction like drug abuse.
Alcohol is a drug, and alcoholism is every bit as damaging as drug addiction. Alcohol addiction causes changes in the body and brain, and long-term alcohol abuse can have devastating effects on your health, your career, and your relationships. Alcoholics go through physical withdrawal when they stop drinking, just like drug users do when they quit.
Effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse
Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can affect all aspects of your life. Long-term alcohol use can cause serious health complications, affecting virtually every organ in your body, including your brain. Problem drinking can also damage your emotional stability, finances, career, and your ability to build and sustain satisfying relationships. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can also have an impact on your family, friends and the people you work with.
The effects of alcoholism and alcohol abuse on the people you love

Despite the potentially lethal damage that heavy drinking does to the body—including cancer, heart problems, and liver disease—the social consequences can be just as devastating. Alcoholics and alcohol abusers are much more likely to get divorced, have problems with domestic violence, struggle with unemployment, and live in poverty.
But even if you’re able to succeed at work or hold your marriage together, you can’t escape the effects that alcoholism and alcohol abuse has on your personal relationships. Drinking problems put an enormous strain on the people closest to you.
Often, family members and close friends feel obligated to cover for the person with the drinking problem. So they take on the burden of cleaning up your messes, lying for you, or working more to make ends meet. Pretending that nothing is wrong and hiding away all of their fears and resentments can take an enormous toll. Children are especially sensitive and can suffer long-lasting emotional trauma when a parent or caretaker is an alcoholic or heavy drinker.
Getting help for alcoholism or alcohol abuse
If you’re ready to admit you have a drinking problem, you’ve already taken the first step. It takes tremendous strength and courage to face alcohol abuse and alcoholism head on. Reaching out for support is the second step.
Whether you choose to go to rehab, rely on self-help programs, get therapy, or take a self-directed treatment approach, support is essential. Recovering from alcohol addiction is much easier when you have people you can lean on for encouragement, comfort, and guidance. Without support, it’s easy to fall back into old patterns when things get tough.
Your continued recovery depends on continuing mental health treatment, learning healthier coping strategies, and making better decisions when dealing with life’s challenges. In order to stay alcohol-free for the long term, you’ll also have to face the underlying problems that led to your alcoholism or alcohol abuse in the first place.
Those problems could be depression, an inability to manage stress, an unresolved trauma from your childhood, or any number of mental health issues. Such problems may become more prominent when you’re no longer using alcohol to cover them up. But you will be in a healthier position to finally address them and seek the help you need.

]]>About Heroin Abusehttp://beachcitydrugrehab.com/2016/07/15/about-heroin-abuse/
Fri, 15 Jul 2016 18:41:45 +0000http://beachcitydrugrehab.com/?p=247What Is Heroin?
Heroin is a substance that is both illegal and extremely addictive. The substance derives from opium from thepoppy plant before it is refined to morphine, then further chemically modified to become heroin. Despite its deserved negative reputation for its high risks, heroin continues to be a commonly abused drug in the US.
Heroin is sold and used in a number of forms including white or brown powder, a black sticky substance (tar heroin), and solid black chunks. These different forms of heroin can be smoked, snorted, or injected under the skin, into muscle, or directly into the veins.
Regardless of the technique of use, the drug delivers its potent effects quickly. As the strength of any street drug is hard to gauge from batch to batch, the potential to overdose on heroin is always a distinct possibility.
Why Do People Use Heroin?
Heroin use is increasing across new demographics. Learn more about this disturbing trend.
Heroin is abused for the immediate pleasurable feelings it can elicit, including:
• A surge of enjoyable feelings called the “rush.”
• A warm, calm feeling.
• A heavy, slowed feeling in the arms and legs.
• An increased sense of well-being and confidence.
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Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of heroin abuse will depend on how much, how often, and how long it has been abused.
Immediate Symptoms
Some users report immediate negative symptoms from the drug like:
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Itching.
• Dry mouth.
Delayed Symptoms
Following the immediate effects of heroin, another set of symptoms begin to occur that involve the body slowing down and being less active and alert. These signs of heroin use include:
• Feeling drowsy and sleepy for several hours.
• Having a foggy mental state.
• Slowed breathing.
• Slowed heart rate.
• “Nodding,” where the user will alternate between periods of being awake and asleep.
Signs of Long-Term Use
With continued use over a period of time, the person abusing heroin may exhibit other signs like:
• Needle marks and bruising on the injection sites.
• Skin problems like abscesses and infections.
• Heart problems.
• Disease in organs including the liver and kidneys.
• Collapsed veins from repeated injections.
If you or someone you love has been displaying any of the above signs and symptoms of heroin abuse, there is something you can do.
Call (562) 393-0850
to receive more information and potential treatment options.
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Video: A Deadly Dance
The following short documentary from the New York Times illustrates the heroin addiction epidemic in the US.

Credit: The New York Times
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Effects of Heroin Abuse
Addiction, tolerance, and dependence are three likely outcomes once someone begins using heroin.
• Addiction is marked by increased effort and energy assigned to getting and using the drug even when problems from use have resulted.
• Tolerance is indicated by the need for more of the substance, higher purity, or different methods of delivery to feel the same results.
• Dependence is when your body requires heroin to feel normal and withdrawal symptoms present without the substance in your body.
These effects transpire because when the drug is used, the active opiate molecules interact with opioid receptors. These receptors, which are located throughout the brain and body, play a role in modifying pain perception, rewarding behaviors, and maintaining body functions like blood pressure and breathing.
Abuse of heroin can lead to unwanted social effects like troubled relationships, being fired from work, financial worries, and legal issues. Also, heroin use is linked to many long-term health consequences like:
• Increased risk of infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.
• Persistent mental health issues such as depression and personality changes.
• Reproductive issues like sexual dysfunction and inconsistent menstrual cycles.
• Damage to the septum and nose tissues from snorting.
Women that use the drug while pregnant place themselves and their child at risk for miscarriages, low birth weight, and neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), which involves the child being born dependent on the substance and enduring withdrawal effects.
Opiate Overdose
Perhaps the most serious effect of heroin is the risk of overdose. Because of variability in purity of the substance as well as lack of information regarding what is mixed into the drug, dosing is difficult to measure. Effects of overdose include:
• Dangerously slowed breathing rate.
• Depressed heart rate.
• Loss of consciousness.
• Permanent brain damage.
• Coma.
• Death.
A medication called naloxone – brand name Narcan – is approved to reverse the effects of an overdose.

Who’s Using Heroin?

Heroin is a drug that attracts many new users annually. Consider the following statistics regarding the drug according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse:
• From 2002 to 2012, the past year use of heroin increased by more than 50%.
• In 2012, almost 670,000 reported to use heroin within the last year.
• The number of people that met criteria for a diagnosis of heroin abuse or heroin dependence doubled from 2002 to 2012.
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Heroin Abuse Treatment
With addiction and dependence to heroin in place, professional treatment is frequently necessary to overcome the influence of the drug–several effective options are available. The first challenge in heroin recovery is enduring withdrawal symptoms that begin when the substance is no longer in the user’s body.
Heroin withdrawal symptoms include:
You don’t have to fight a battle against heroin alone. Learn about treatment programs now.
• Agitation and edginess.
• Widespread pain in the bones and muscles.
• Trouble sleeping.
• Nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
• Feeling cold.
• Involuntary kicking movements.
• Strong cravings for more of the substance.
Heroin withdrawal is not usually deadly, but it can be dangerous and extremely uncomfortable, often prompting those who want to quit to return to use to avoid the symptoms. With this being the case, supervised detoxification may be needed to safely navigate the early stage of recovery. During detox, a medical treatment team will monitor your symptoms while providing medications that will add to your comfort.
Many people transition from detox treatment to a rehabilitation program for continued treatment. Rehabs are residential programs that vary length based on the needs of the individual in recovery. This allows for outside distractions to be eliminated and recovery to be the primary focus.
From there, outpatient mental health, drug and alcohol counseling, and community supports can be utilized to maintain abstinence from the substance as you reintegrate into your environment.
No matter the setting, some aspects of heroin addiction treatment are consistent including:
• Behavioral therapy – Done in outpatient, inpatient, and residential settings, behavioral therapy will work to make you aware of your patterns to find ways to modify them towards healthier alternatives.
• Medication management – Methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone, and other drugs are used during different stages to aid in heroin recovery. Some work by activating the same opioid receptors as heroin does, and others block the receptors so heroin’s effects are not felt.
If you are in need of treatment for heroin abuse, call 714-725-1101
to gain more information regarding your substance and treatment options.
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Am I Addicted?
If you’re worried about your use of heroin, you likely have a problem. However, you can use our heroin addiction assessment to help determine your level of addiction and need for treatment.